X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

The King's Week 1 Lineup Spotlight - Key Starters and Tough Calls

Scott Engel breaks down his Week 1 fantasy football lineups analysis, spotlighting key NFL players to start and tougher lineup start/sit decisions to make.

Welcome to Week 1, RotoBallers! Below you will find some of my spotlight plays and tough lineup decisions for Week 1 of the fantasy football season.

These are based off my Premium Weekly Lineup rankings, available as part of the RotoBaller Seasonal Premium Fantasy Football Package. Enter promo code KING at checkout and get access to all of my ranks in all formats, plus a full roster of tools and analysis for the entire 2019 season.

Skill position picks here are mainly based on PPR ranks.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Spotlight Starters for Week 1

Leonard Fournette (RB11): He will be a key to staying in the game against the Chiefs. The Jaguars must simply play ball control to keep the powerful Chiefs offense off the field as much as possible. Fournette may not stay healthy the whole year but should get off to a good start in Week One.

Josh Jacobs (RB14): While everyone else will be focusing on Antonio Brown and Derek Carr, Jacobs will prove to arguably be the most important newcomer in Oakland. His rookie season will get off to a fine start as he displays his all-around skills and fills the RB gap that has long existed with the Raiders.

Matt Breida (RB25): He is actually listed as the starter on the 49ers depth chart. Breida was impressive last season, as he was tenacious and determined, and he will be a quality flex play when healthy. He does tend to get banged up, but he is available for Week One, so utilize him.

Tyler Lockett (WR11): He is playing the old Doug Baldwin role, and has the big play ability, as evidenced by his 10 TD receptions last season. The Seahawks should roll past Cincinnati at home, and that means 100 yards and an end zone visit for Baldwin, very possibly on a rainbow throw from Russell Wilson.

Tyler Boyd (WR24): The Bengals will play from behind at Seattle, and can make some passing plays even when they are not quite blown out yet. If there is one weakness in the Seahawks Defense, it is the secondary, and Boyd can exploit it when Andy Dalton goes to a quick paced attack to try and stay in the game.

Michael Gallup (WR28): The breakout season will begin immediately against the Giants secondary. Amari Cooper may not be his true self as he plays through plantar fasciitis, and Gallup may get deep for a few downfield strikes and should also get in the end zone.

Drew Brees (QB7): He did not produce well down the stretch last season, and the Saints may not always need him to post outstanding totals as their defense is better than it was in his best Fantasy years. But watch him trade offensive punches with Deshaun Watson this week.

Dak Prescott (QB11): The Cowboys will roll up a lot of points on the New York defense, and Prescott will lead the way. He won’t be an every week Fantasy starter this year, but he is a strong streamer in the season opener.

Mark Andrews (TE10): It will be a low-scoring game in the South Florida heat. But Andrews will catch Lamar Jackson’s only TD pass of the day.

Delanie Walker (TE12): Marcus Mariota cannot be trusted, but Walker is the one he knows he can trust. If the Titans want to stay in the game against the Browns, Walker will be involved often.

 

Tough Lineup Decisions for Week 1

Duke Johnson over Phillip Lindsay: Johnson gets the call here because he may get the opportunity to have a heavier workload and should be in line for five to six catches. Lindsay is coming off a season as a more impressive runner, but Johnson may split less reps with his backfield mate.

Miles Sanders over Devin Singletary: Both rookie running backs are expected to lead committee approaches. Both of them could split workloads with veterans and lose some playing time to pass-catching RBs. But Sanders is more likely to play in a higher scoring game and that’s the key difference here.

Sterling Shepard over Cooper Kupp: The Dallas secondary presents a challenging matchup for sure, but Shepard is ready to assume the role as the Giants’ No. 1 WR and should be good for five to seven catches. Kupp has to share targets with Robert Woods and Brandin Cooks and may not be his true self for a few weeks as he continues to make his way back from last year’s knee injury. He is ready to play, but we may not see the best of him just yet.

Jamison Crowder over Dede Westbrook: This was not an easy one, but I just do not trust the Jacksonville passing game yet, and as indicated previously, their offense will be centered around the ground game. Crowder should be Sam Darnold’s busiest target with Robby Anderson dealing with a calf problem.

Matt Ryan over Jameis Winston: There is a lot of hype and expectations surrounding Winston, again. But until proven otherwise, he is erratic and unreliable. Ryan was the No. 2 QB in Fantasy last year and there is no way I am starting Winston over him yet.

T.J. Hockenson over Austin Hooper: The Lions will want to get their prized rookie into the offensive flow right away. Hooper has much less of a chance of getting in the end zone than Hockenson.

More Week 1 Lineup Prep




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Marvin Mims Jr.

Could be on Track for First 1,000-Yard Season
Jaylen Johnson

Chargers Place Jaylen Johnson on PUP List
Dereck Lively II

Undergoes Right-Foot Surgery Tuesday
Kendrick Bourne

Kayshon Boutte Fighting for Final Spots
Isaiah Collier

Logs a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Monday
DeMario Douglas

Kyle Williams "Locks" for Receiving Corps
Trey Smith

Chiefs, Trey Smith Finalizing Massive Extension
Anthony Richardson Sr.

Colts Expected to Ease Anthony Richardson Sr. Back in
Devin Carter

Posts 17 Points Versus Suns
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 17 Points in Summer League Loss
Terry McLaurin

Undecided on Whether he Will Report to Training Camp
Colston Loveland

Says his Shoulder is 100 Percent
Harrison Ingram

has Impressive Outing Against Jazz
Sam Williams

has Potential to be Elite Edge Rusher
Shemar Stewart

Considering Going Back to College?
Jahmyr Gibbs

Lions Want Jahmyr Gibbs "More Involved" in Passing Game
Jordan Addison

Could be Facing Three-Game Suspension
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Kyle Filipowski

Records 35-Point Double-Double Against Spurs
Kel'el Ware

Dominates Against Celtics
Kon Knueppel

Gets Going Monday
Matas Buzelis

Puts Up 28 Points in Win Over Pacers
Reed Sheppard

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
Paul George

Undergoes Arthroscopic Knee Surgery
Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Najee Harris

Likely to Miss Time at Start of Training Camp
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Collin Morikawa

Misses The Cut at Genesis Scottish Open
Hideki Matsuyama

Finishes Tied For 13th at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Brooks Koepka

Finishes Tied For 32nd at LIV Andalucia
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For 34th at Genesis Scottish Open
Jason Day

Misses The Cut at John Deere Classic
Ludvig Aberg

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Cam Taylor-Britt

has Benefited From Addition of Al Golden
Rome Odunze

Could Take Off in Year 2
RJ Harvey

to Get "Significant" Work in Broncos' Passing Game
Jackson Powers-Johnson

More Comfortable Heading into Year 2
Luke McCaffrey

In Line for Larger Role?
Braelon Allen

Jets Viewing Braelon Allen as Long-Term Starter?
Joel Embiid

Participating in Partial Basketball Activities
Victor Wembanyama

Officially Cleared to Return After Blood-Clot Recovery
Mike Williams

Heading to PUP List
Garrett Wilson

Lands Historic Deal
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Kel'el Ware

Collects 21 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Cam Spencer

Contract Being Restructured
Drew Timme

Scores 30 Points in Summer League Loss to Wizards
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Alexandre Sarr

Logs Impressive Outing in Summer League Action on Sunday
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Kyle Filipowski

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss to Warriors
Cody Williams

Collects 22 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Boston Celtics

Damian Lillard Drawing Interest from the Celtics
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Daniel Gafford

Agrees to Contract Extension with Dallas
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson Selected Third Overall by Seattle
Ha-Seong Kim

X-rays on Ha-Seong Kim's Foot Come Back Negative
Los Angeles Angels

Tyler Bremner Selected Second Overall by Angels in 2025 MLB Draft
Washington Nationals

Nationals Select Eli Willits First Overall
Jake Meyers

to Miss More Than Three Weeks With Calf Injury
Edward Cabrera

Hopeful to Avoid Injured List
Oneil Cruz

Absent on Sunday
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF